Sealing-machine.



R. E. MEYER.

SEALING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED 0OT.13, 1911.

1,060,201 Patented Apr. 29; 1913.

3 SHEBTSSHEET 1.

R. E. MEYER.

SEALING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED OCT. 13, 1911.

1,060,201 Patented Apr. 29, 1913.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2v Egigimlllui 11$:

QHCOWEW R. E. MEYER.

SEALING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED-0013.13, 1911. 1,060,201 Patented Apr. 29, 1913. 3 SHEETS-SHEET s.

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I Gtrowl a RICHARD E. MEYER, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

SEALING-MACHINE.

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To all whom z'tmay concern:

Be it known that. I, RICHARD E. MEYER, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Detroit, in the county of Wayne and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sealin -Machines, of which the followingis a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

In sealing glass or porcelain jars or the like by the application of a metal band over a cap of glass or other frangible mater al by crimping the edges around the margins of the cap and the neck flange of the bottle or jar allowance must be made for irregu-.

larities in thickness and in the contour of articles of this character and also for the liability of the jar or bottle to fracture under pressure.

This invention-relates to a capping machine wherein power is so applied during the sealing process that the liability of frac ture is reduced to a minimum, the bottle being supported at the time of the greatest impact of the sealing members in such man'- ner that the material of the jar or bottleis cushioned by the metal of the sealing band or ring itself.

The invention consists in the matters hereinafter set forth and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a view in side elevation, with frame partly broken away, of a sealing machine embodying features of the invention; Fig. 2 is a view in longitudinal section enlarged, of a die head, die and table with bottle placed thereon at the beginning of the sealing operation; Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the POSL tions assumed by the mechanism with the die jaws closed around the ,bottle .neck; Fig. 4 is a similar view showing the position assumed when the table has fallen back from the bottle; Fig. 5 is a similar view showing the parts atthe end of the sealing movement ready for return to their initial and release position; and Fig. 6 is a view in cross section on line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

As herein shown in preferred form an upright column 1 of suitable design and material for strength and lightness has a table bracket 2 and head 3 alined therewith. A table lever 4 is pivoted between its ends on a pin 5 to oscillate in a slot or opening through the column 1 with its outer bifurcated end 6 embracing a stop collar 7 that Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed October 13, 1911. Serial No. 854,488.

Patented Apr. 29, 1913.

is screwthreaded or otherwise longitudinally adjustable on a table post 8. To prevent accidental dislodgment of the collar 7 a split ring 9 or the like is employed to lock it in ad usted posit-ion. The other end of the lever bears upwardly against a cam 10 that is mounted on a main shaft- 11 of the machine which is journaled in a bearing bracket 12 on the post and driven by any suitable means, a balance wheel 13 or the v like being used to insure steadiness of motion.

The post 8 is reciprocable longitudinally in a guide aperture of the bracket 2 and has an axial socket atits upper end in which the stem 14 of a table 15 is inserted, a spring 16 in compression between the table and the upper end of the post 8 servin to keep the same normally projected. keeper 17 traveling in a longitudinal slot 18 of the post limits the movementof the stem. A stem 19 of a die is secured as by a stud or pin 20 in the head 3 of the column 1 in subst-antially axial alinement with the table post 8. A centrally apertured die body 21 has a hollow boss screwthreaded into or otherwise made fast in an axial socket in the lower end of the stem 19. A marginal peripheral flange 22 is formed on the body, its upper face forming the wall of a peripheral groove whose lower margin 23 is under-cut. A plurality of forming jaws 24 have their upper end port'ons arranged to hook over the groove wall 23, a spiral spring ring 25 or the like being snapped aroundthe upper portions of the jaws to normally hold their lower ends distended, the flange 22 preventing upward movement of the spring ring keeper and an outer shoulder on each jaw retaining the ring from rocking. The jaws play in radial slots formed in the periphery of a presser disk 26 secured in suitable manner to a plunger 27 which is longitudinally reciprocable through the counterbored aperture of the die body 21. A spring '28 or other suitable means in compression between the shoulder formed by the counterbore of the body aperture and a guide flange 29 near the upper end of the plunger normally holds the disk seated against the lower face of the die body.

A sleeve 30 reciprocable on the stem 19 has a lower circular flange 31 secured to or formed thereon with depending spring-arms 32 tot-he lower ends of which a band 33 is secured to closely embrace and slide on the cam ortions of the outerfaces of the jaws bracket 39 of the column in the plane of rotation of a cam 40 on the main shaft 11. A

push rod 41 that is preferably made in two sections with a right and left threaded sleeve connection 42 for adjusting its length is in sliding engagement at its lower end with an axial socket in the tappet rod 38, a spring 43 encircling the same in compression between the ta pet and a stop collar 44 adjustable on tl ie steam normally holding the push rod projected and a keeper pin 45 playin in a guide slot 46 of the tappet lim- 1t1n t e outer movements thereof.

T 6 upper end of the push rod 41 is pivoted to one extremity of a cam lever 47 that is fulcrumed between its endson a stud 48 or the like in a transverse slot of the column 1 v with itsfree end 49 passing through a bearmg opening in the sleeve 30 and an elongated slot in the stem 19 so that it may contact on the upper end of the plunger 27 after.

it has completed a portion of its downward movement. Preferably. the lever has onlargements as indicated for'rocking freely against the bearing surfaces of the collar and plunger. A return spring 50 attached to the column and to the push rod end of the lever 47 normally holds the tappet rod down into the path of the cam and the sleeve 30 up against the under face of the column head 3. The table 15 has an adjustable gage 51 for centering a bottle placed thereon in axial alinement with the die body 21 and substantially concentric with the circle formed by the jaws 24 of the die.

Bottles or jars for which this machine is adapted are each provided with an annular neck flange 52 and a cap 53 adapted to be seated on the bottle neck over a gasket or sealing ring 54. A marginal head 55 is formed on the upper face of the cap. A sealing ring or band 56 with overlapping unconnected ends has an upper flange 57 or inturned margin adapted to hook over and conform to the bead 55 which preferably has a rounded upper face. The lower margin 58 of this band is arranged to normally extend slightly below the bottle neck flange 52 when the band is placed loosely over the cover and preferably this margin is slightly.

inturned as indicated The presser disk 26 has a marginal depending rim 59 whose under face is grooved or otherwise shaped to conform to the upper flange of the band 52. The

- lower end portions of thejaws 24 have inwardly projecting hooks forming shoulders 60 which when the jaws are closed against the outer face of the band underlie the flange 52 of an inserted bottleand closely engage the inturned margin 58 of the band. The

upper face of each of these hooks is so rounded that movement of the band against them cairls the flange 58 upwardly into contact at its margin with the under face of the neck flange 52. As a matter of precaution the table 15 may have a cushion 61 or the like on 'which the bottle may beplaced.

Preferably the driving mechanism of the machine is in general nature the same as that of a power press so that the operator by pressing a pedal connects the main shaft with the driving member. This mechanism may be of any preferred type and as it does not per se form a feature of the invention it is not shown herein.

In operation the parts are so timed that after a bottle is placed upon a table with its cap and band in position, the table cam causes the table lever to raise the table until the cap and band are within the range of action of the bending jaws. The other cam then depresses the cam lever a sufficient distance to close the jaws around the neck of the bottle with their inner hook ends underlying the plunger, by sliding the sleeve and resilient band down over the jaws. This is practically the position shown in Fig. 3. At this point the lever contacts with the disk plunger and at the same time the table cam releases the table lever and allows the table to drop away so that the bottle hangs suspended with the parts in substantially the po-' sition indicated in Fig. 4. The completion of the cam lever stroke forces the presser disk against the cap band so that the latter is crowded along the jaws. This causes its lower margin to curl inwardly and upwardly into contact with the under face of the bottle flange and to accommodate itself to any irregularities in contour or thickness of the latter. The release of the cam lever by its operating cam allows the parts to return to the initial position, the table receiving the released bottle.

One feature of this construction is the ease with which the die jaws conformto the bottle neck which is likely to be somewhat out of true and to vary considerably. Furthermore as the jaws are only yieldingly held by their keeper and outer band they may be readily unhooked from the die body for repair or replacement. important feature is the operation of the die jaws upon the lower flange of the band by which a thin elasticfbeacl is interposed between the unyielding hooks of the. die jaws so'that the shock of the presser disk against the bottle cap is carried entirely by the band of the bottle cap. This not only allows for Another very jaw hooks that effectually prevents the shat-.

tering of the bottle neck by the blow of the presser. 'A furthenfeature is the suspending of the bottle or ar durlng the operation by the neck so that the body of the vessel does not receive or withstand any stress or strain.

While herein shown as adapted for use with a glass or porcelain cover or the like together with a metallic sealing band, the die head may also be used for sealing a full metal cap upon the neck, the capmhavmg a depending flange encircling the ttle neck flange in the manner of the sealing band shown herein. In both instances the action of the die jaws is similar,a slight adjustment of the die body being all that is necessary to change, the die for this work.

What. I claim is 1. In a sealing machine, a die body, a plurality of depending jaws detachably engaging with the die body near their upper ends and each having a forming shoulder on its inner margin below the die body, a presser disk having guide slots in which the jaws reciprocate, means yieldingly securing the jaws in engagement with the body, a plunger on which the disk is secured reciprocable through the body, means yieldingly holding the disk and plunger in retracted position, a resilient band encircling the jaws and adapted to co-act with cam faces on the latter to close them when the band is moved toward the outer ends of the jaws, and means for projecting the plunger and reciprocating the ring.

2. In a sealing machine, a die body having a plurality of depending jaws detachably secured thereto each provided with a forming shoulder on its inner margin below the die body, a presser disk having guide slots in which the jaws are reciprocated, a resilient member encircling the body and yieldingly retaining the jaws in engagement therewith, means reciprocable through the body for projecting the disk, means normally holding the disk retracted, means yieldingly encircling the jaws and co-acting with cam faces thereon to close the latter when moved toward their lower ends, and means for operating the disk projecting means and reciprocating the jaw closing means.

5. In a sealing machine, a die body having a peripheral groove, a plurality of depending jaws detachably engaging the groove near their upper ends, each provided with a forming shoulder on itsinner margin below the die body, a presser disk having guide slots in which the jaws reciprocate, a resilient ring securing the jaws in engagement with the body, a plunger on which the disk is secured reciprocable in an opening through the body, a'spring normally olding the disk and plunger in retracting position, a diestem on which the body issecured, .a sleeve reciprocable on the die stem, a resilient band encircling the jaw s, yieldingly secured to the sleeve and adapted to'coact with cam faces on the jaws to close the latter when the band is moved toward the outer end of the jaws, and means -to reciprocate the sleeve and plunger.

4. A die comprising a stem,-hav-ing an axial socket, an apertured die body secured on the stem, a presser disk having a plurality of radial slots in its periphery, a

.plunger to which the disk is secured rec1procable throu h the aperture of the body, a

plurality of orming jaws detachably fulcrumed at their upper ends on the body pe- .riphery, with their lower ends extending through the guide slots and below the disk, shoulders on the inner margins of the jaws, a resilientring'encircling the jaws and coacting withcam faces on the latter to move them inward When the ring is forced toward the lower ends of the jaws, a sleeve reciprocable on the stem, spring arms secured to the stem for supporting the ring, and means for reciprocating the sleeve and plunger.

5. In a sealing machine, a cylindrical die body having a peripheral groove with under-cut wall, a presser disk having a plurality of radial guide slots, forming jaws in the guide slots whose upper ends detachably engage and fulcrum in the groove of the body, a keeper ring yieldingly retaining the jaws in engagement with the groove, a plunger on which the disk is secured recipro- .a spring encircling the plunger for holding the latter normally in retracted position, an elastic ring gripping the jaws and coacting with cam faces on the latter to swing them toward the center of the die when the ring is forced to the outer end of the jaws, a sleeve reciprocable on the stem, spring arms on the sleeve supporting the ring, and a cam arm passing through an opening in the sleeve and a longitudinal slot in the stem for reciprocating the sleeve and plunger.

6, In a sealing machine, a column, a hollow die stem secured in the column head and provided with a longitudinal slot, an apertured die body secured on the stem, a plurality of forming jaws fulcrumed on the die body to swing inwardly and provided with forming shoulders on the inner margins near their lower ends, a presser disk having 'radial guide slots in which the jaws play, a plunger on which the dlsk is secured loncured to the sleeve, embracing the 'aws and gages the sleeve to reciprocate the latter and enters the longitudinal slot of the stem above the plunger to project the latter, and means for reciprocating t e lever.

7. In a sealing machine for sealing aband of bendable material around the outwardly flanged neck of a receptacle, a die plate, jaws oscillatory on the late toward a common axis, provided w1th inner shoulders adapted to hook under an inserted band and inclosed flange of a receptacle neck when closed and to bend the margin of a band inward and upward when the latter is forced against the shoulders, a single reciprocatory member for yieldingly forcing the jaws inwardly against the band simultaneously, means for forcing a band gripped by the jaws against the jaw shoulders, means for of a receptacle and several means'and reciprocatory member in timed relati on. e

8. In sealing machine, a fixed die having jaws adapted to close around the neck rovided with forming shoulders in their l means for yieldingl closing the jaws siv30. ower inner portions,

multaneously inwar l means for advancing the receptacle into the range of action of the jaws, means for forcing the receptacle when engaged by the jaws toward the forming shoulders thereof, and means for simultaneously withdrawing the work advancing means and operating the work forcing means.

In testimony whereof I in presence of two witnesses.

RICHARD E. M YER.

Witnesses:

C. R. STICKNEY, OT'mF. BARTHEL.

aflix my signature 

